FF - Tumhari Meri Baatein. Part 6 Page 22. 20/09 - Page 16

Urm ... yeah.

Originally posted by: Tomiko

Urm ... yeah.

There's this one scene which involves Maan, Geet and a Lift that I just can't seem to get right. otherwise I've written like 5 pages to keep you all busy!🤣

Nahiiin! I've been stuck on this damn scene for a week!😲 I'm going to get it out even if it kills me!😆

See guys?

Urm, why are we ripping my shirt again?😆

As the driver pulled up in front of the office, Geet knew she'd made a mistake by turning up early; even if it was only by a few scant minutes. But the haveli, always so large and forbidding had become an even greater haven for depression now that she found herself roaming the halls alone. Days were spent huddled in bed, refusing all food except for ice-cream by the gallon and watching an endless stream of DVDs which, after the first few mind numbing hours, had quickly become blurred memories.

Pinky had asked, then pleaded, and very quickly threatened to drag her back to the office but Geet had remained stubborn. A part of her, the restless part that had drove her to hop from one quiet town to the next, insisted that the best thing to do was grab her yet unpacked bag and continue her journey down south. But that required energy which seemed to have been sapped from her the second she'd landed eyes on Maan, standing belligerently before her in Coimbatore and silently daring her to make even a single noise of protest.

The door was pulled open and Geet carefully stepped out of the car, the humid hair settling heavily on her shoulders. She murmured a thank-you to the driver before hurrying up the short flight of stairs that led to the lawyer's office. The cool wave of the air-conditioning was a welcome change and allowed Geet to pause as she glanced at the reception furnished in a bland palette of various creams and browns and showcasing scattered potted plants and undecipherable canvases. No doubt the designer had attempted the atmosphere to be calming. Instead Geet easily felt as if she could have run screaming from the room.

Unfortunately a certain fantasy of her knocking over the suspiciously pristine looking plants and escaping through the window was cut short as the receptionist caught her eye.

"How can I help you ma'am?"

Realising that she had been idling in the door way, Geet made her way to the receptionist and automatically smiled in response to the cheerful greeting.

"The name's Geet Handa ... "

"Handa! Of course, we have quite a few of you in for the will-reading today."

The receptionist looked delighted. Geet glanced forlornly at the window one more time before resignedly signing the visitor's book and heading towards the allotted meeting room, each step heavier than the last.

Suddenly the receptionist straightened, unconsciously smoothing back her bun as her welcoming smile grew wider. Curious, Geet turned to find the sleek BMW Maan used when in the city, pulling up outside the building.

Geet sighed; idly wondering why, not for the first time, the female population dropped like flies whenever Maan entered the room. But even as the door opened, she couldn't help but straighten a little whilst self-consciously tugging at a stray lock of her hair.

It had nothing to do with Maan of course.

It was Sasha who came in first. Dressed in a short red business suit and hair coiffed to perfection, she gazed around coolly before her gaze landed Geet. A smirk flitted across her features before she turned to face the open door as Maan strode in, somehow unruffled despite the heat wave that had been plaguing the city recently.

He paused in the doorway and scanned the room carefully until he spotted Geet. She caught his eye, holding it for what seemed like an eternity until he took a step forward, meaning to make his way towards her.

"Mr Khurana,"

The delighted receptionist breathed with a beaming smile and the moment was broken. Geet spun on her sandals (fire engine red heels would have made the move more effective, she thought ruefully) before hurrying towards the lift and jabbing impatiently at the right button.

The doors opened with a prompt ping! and she stepped inside, turning to watch with smug satisfaction as the doors proceeded to close even as Maan headed towards her with a determined gleam in his eyes.

But her victory dance was cut-short as he managed to grasp at the traitorous lift at the last second. She considered batting away at his fingers ' those long, tapered fingers that were currently gripping the lift doors just as they had once cradled the back of her neck, tilting her gaze up forcefully before leaning towards her to ... no, focus Geet! She admonished as Maan successfully managed to worm his way into the lift and was now currently frowning down at her with his hands resting on his hips.

She jerked her gaze from those hands and blinked at the general vicinity of his face, only to zero in on his mouth...

"I need to get out more!"

She groaned, burying her face in her hands as Maan frowned, pausing in whatever tirade he had been reciting to her.

"Geet?"

He questioned, with more impatience than concern.

"I'm not talking to you."

She insisted, folding her arms and staring resolutely at a spot an inch above his left ear. He watched her in amusement, recognising the posture she had mirrored ever since they were children.

"Fine, then you can listen."

She shot him a sardonic smile, wiggling her index fingers at him before sticking them stubbornly in her ear.

"Geet ..."

"La la la"

"What happened last ..."

"La la la"

"Will you ju-"

"La la la"

"Fine,"

He sighed before tugging at her arm and pulling her towards him. Geet paused, wide-eyed, as he held her gaze before leaning forwards and catching her lips without preamble. The sounds of the humming lift turned to a low buzz, his hands were a warm support around her waist, a pool of pure contentment settled around her and then there was ... nothing. Maan had taken a taken a step back and turned away with only a ghost of a smile before stepping out of the lift.

She blinked in confusion, her mouth dropped open as she realised what had just happened, and then she slipped through the rapidly closing lift doors before barrelling towards Maan's retreating figure as she bristled with indignation; although not exactly knowing what she would do when she caught up with him.

Whilst pulling his hair and screaming like a banshee had been acceptable behaviour when she was five, she doubted it would go over well with a room full of Handa's 15 years later. But she was saved from making any sort of move as Pinky materialised before her.

"Water. Drink. Breath."

Said Pinky pertly, pushing a cool glass of water towards Geet before eyeing the faded t-shirt and threadbare jeans she had thrown on. Wisely she skirted over the fashion choice and instead joined Geet as they gazed out over the audience they hadn't seen together since the funeral.

"Thank-you."

Geet breathed with a sigh of relief as sanity returned.

Pinky shrugged,

"You looked homicidal."

She stated matter of factly, steering Geet towards the same door Maan had disappeared in to only seconds before.

"Oh by the way, you really should call Rahul back."

"Who?"

"Mr. Chopra's nephew? The guy who introduces himself as Rahul, Naam Tho Suna Hoga? He's called the office three times this week in the hopes of talking to you."

Geet conjured a mental image of the Rahul in question, specifically remembering the way he had leered at her at last year's New Years Party before attempting a kiss. Thankfully he had been drunk enough that a quick side-step had thwarted that plan.

Geet shuddered at the memory,

"I'll call him later."

She promised glumly before spotting Brij, a distant cousin, scowling at her from two seats down. Geet replied with a beaming smile and a little finger wave before striding past a smug looking Maan with her nose in the air.

Unfortunately that didn't deter him from snagging the seat by her side.

"We still need to talk,"

He whispered in to her hair whilst Pinky was momentarily distracted.

Geet sighed.

It was going to be a long hour.

*****

"There has to be some mistake."

She insisted, clasping the edge off the desk to glare menacingly down at the lawyer.

"Check again!"

He pulled nervously at his tie, a decidedly pained expression on his face.

"Miss Handa, the words haven't miraculously changed in the last four readings. Sukhdev-ji was very clear that after his death his estate; including the controlling ownership of Handa Industries, is to be managed by you ... and your husband."

"I don't have a husband."

She repeated through gritted teeth.

The lawyer mumbled something that sounded suspiciously like "I wonder why" before clearing his throat under her narrowed eyed glare.

"In the event that you cannot meet the required clause, your share will be transferred to Mr. Brij Lal."

Stunned, Geet whipped around to spot Brij who had replaced his perpetual sneer with a look of pure glee. She couldn't understand why Daarji had included the paternal nephew of his only sister; even if he was the only other member of her dwindling family left in their generation.

Regardless she would rather sit through an evening wedged between Naintara and Sasha than hand her home over to Brij.

She turned back to the haggard looking lawyer.

"Does India recognise civil partnerships? I'll stick a ring on Pinky's finger right now if it does."

Pinky sent her a sideways glance, almost choking on the coffee she had been attempting to finish off.

"You worry me sometimes."

Geet shrugged,

"It's a gift."

The lawyer was sadly unimpressed.

"You have five weeks."

He told her firmly before handing over a folded envelope.

"This is a list of names your Daarji had penned before his death."

"A list?"

She echoed faintly, falling back into her chair as she imagined the sort of men Daarji would have picked out for her. Visions of power suits and polished spectacles came to mind. But then she had picked Dev and they all knew how that had turned out.

Pinky leant over,

"Would you like Rahul's number now?"

*****

"Let's get married."

Gurvinder coughed up his drink, attracting disapproving glances from the nearby tables. When Geet had dropped by unannounced a mere hour earlier, he had been more than happy to take her to dinner in the hopes of grilling her about her impromptu holiday. He'd known of the will ' Pinky's frantic call had meant listening to a full monologue about the inane clauses Darji had included. As well as a very disturbing breakdown of Maan's facial expressions throughout the reading.

But Gurvinder hadn't expected Geet to be so desperate as to propose to him. He couldn't even manage to find a matching pair of socks for God's sake!

"Are you crazy?" He hissed as Geet simply grinned and threw him a napkin to clean up the mess.

"Besides, I thought there was a list?"

She shrugged, "It's a guideline; I have a month to find someone suitable."

He looked at her dubiously, "So you're either desperate, or I was the first person you thought of?"

"Men are idiots" She told him solemnly, "and I don't have time to train someone"

"I'm trained?" He asked her incredulously, mopping up the worst of the mess and signalling for another drink,

"You wear clean shirts, that's a start. So what d'ya say ' wanna marry me?"

Gurvinder considered marriage to Geet,

"We'd have pretty babies." She wheedled. Gurvinder sighed,

"Sorry Geet, my heart already belongs to someone else." She raised a brow, knowing full well that Gurvinder's list of love had already entered into double figures.

"Her name's Rajji" He gave a dreamy sigh whilst Geet conjured a vague image of a round faced girl with pigtails.

"Isn't she 15?"

"She's 21! It's the hair." He mumbled.

"Her brother will kill you before you get within 50 feet of her."

Gurvinder looked pained and Geet sighed as she surveyed her food glumly.

"That's ok. I needed somebody who could run the business anyway."

"Are you hunting for a husband or a manager?"

"I just want to prove Maan. Stupid. Khurana. Wrong."

She replied each word punctuated with a forceful stab into her plate of salad. Gurvinder raised a brow at her vehement attack.

"Do you have a thing for Maan?"

"If by thing you mean do I want to throw him under a rickshaw, then yes."

Gurvinder shook his head at the determined blaze in her eyes, before turning his attention back to his food. Geet followed suit and both friends fell into a companionable silence. A few minutes later, Geet raised her head as a thought struck her, "By the way, what happened to Channi?"

Gurvinder frowned, "I don't know, she never returned my calls."

*****
If you get the inside joke on the last line ... congratulations! Your humour is as twisted as mine.😆

Great update Tomiko!

Wow, that was scary fast!😕😆